MUMBAI, 30 November 2006 — Three friends of Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt were found guilty by a TADA court yesterday of delivering prohibited weapons to the actor during the 1993 bomb blasts in Mumbai.
Film producer and owner of Magnum Video, Samir Hingora, was convicted of conspiracy, attending a meeting in Dubai where the bombing plan was hatched, and supplying weapons to Dutt on the orders of prime accused Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar and his brother Anees Ibrahim.
Russi Framroze Mulla, a Mumbai businessman, was found guilty of possessing a 9 mm pistol given to him by Kersi Adajenia, another friend of Dutt, which he later delivered to the actor.
Baba alias Ibrahim Musa Chauhan was found guilty by the special Terrorist and Disruptive Activities Act (TADA) court Judge P.D. Kode for illegally possessing AK-56 rifle and other weapons, which he delivered to Dutt. He was also convicted of transporting and storing smuggled arms, ammunition and RDX explosives under the Arms Act, Explosives Act and Substances Act.
Meanwhile, the verdict came as a big relief for the Congress party. Though Sanjay was never active in politics, his alleged involvement in terror activities caused a major embarrassment for the party.
Senior Congress leader and former Maharashtra Minister of State for Home Kripa Shankar Singh said, “The court verdict will hopefully silence the BJP and Shiv Sena, which have always accused us of protecting and hobnobbing with the family of a 1993 blast accused.”
The verdict sparked mixed reaction from lawyers.
Senior advocate Nitin Pradhan said, “Justice has been done. Everybody, except the prosecution and the political administration of the state, was convinced that Dutt was not a terrorist. The verdict has proved that Dutt had nothing to do with the blasts.”
According to prominent criminal lawyer Majeed Memon it was apparent that Dutt would be acquitted of terror charges as there was no evidence to prove his involvement.
Criminal lawyer Mahesh Jethmalani said that Dutt not only stood a good chance of getting bail from the Supreme Court, he might be acquitted of the charges under Arms Act as well.
Another senior lawyer Abad Ponda said, “It is improper to question the judgment at this juncture as the sentence has still not been pronounced. Various legal consequences will arise after the sentence is pronounced giving scope for a healthy debate,” Ponda concluded.
